Tuesday | 2 December, 2008
Top 10 tech toys to blow your tax refund on
Sure, you could invest it, but this is more fun
Mike Elgan 31/03/2008 08:24:48
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Sony PlayStation 3

Celebrate not only your tax return, but the end of the high-def disc format war. Blu-ray has emerged victorious, so it's time to splurge on a PlayStation 3.

The PS3 offers all the features of your typical Blu-ray DVD player, as well as access to exclusive PS3 video games. "Resistance: Fall of Man," "Ratchet" and "Clank" are already tearing up the charts, and it's only going to get better. "Metal Gear Solid 4" comes out this year; with over 18 million units sold in the "Metal Gear Solid" series thus far, this conclusion to the series promises to be the biggest blockbuster yet for the PS3.

And when Sony launches its "Home" online service, the inbuilt broadband adaptor and 40GB hard drive will be used to interact with other gamers in a free, Second Life-style fashion.

Though the PlayStation 3 has been slow to catch up to the sales of the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii, its position as the most affordable and versatile Blu-ray player may finally make it a winning proposition.

Sony list price: US$399, or $349 on PriceGrabber.com

Apple MacBook Air

Slim, sexy and surprisingly functional, the MacBook Air is a great traveling computer. Though lacking all the features of a full-fledged MacBook or MacBook Pro, it offers a compact travel form unrivaled in the laptop market.

With no FireWire port, Ethernet port or optical disc drive, the MacBook Air may initially seem a crippled computing choice. But when you're on a plane, on a train or in an automobile, you'll hardly miss what you'd never use anyway.

The MacBook Air weighs in at only 3 pounds and has a maximum thickness of only 0.76 inches, making it an attractive companion to slip into your briefcase, backpack or manila envelope. You'll be ready to pull it out and hop on the local Wi-Fi at a moment's notice.

The MacBook Air isn't meant to be your household's primary computer. But when you're not at home, it can be just what the doctor ordered. You won't regret the US$1,799 you'll spend on the Air.

Apple list price: US$1,799

Mike Elgan writes about technology and global tech culture. Contact Mike at mike.elgan@elgan.com or his blog, The Raw Feed.

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Computerworld Buyer's Guide - Vendors Matched to this Article
Kensington , Adaptec
More about Apple, Sony, Monster, Husqvarna, IRS, IRS, Speed, Nintendo, ACT, PLUS, Dell, Blockbuster, Garmin, Playstation.com, Playstation, Casio, Xbox, HiTec, Internal Revenue Service, NICE
The Casio EX-F1 digital camera takes 60 frames in a second. You can quickly scroll through those 60 frames, pick the perfect one and capture it for saving to the camera's storage.
The Casio EX-F1 digital camera takes 60 frames in a second. You can quickly scroll through those 60 frames, pick the perfect one and capture it for saving to the camera's storage.
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  • The Optimus Maximus keyboard, created by Russian design studio Art Lebedev, has tiny 48 x 48 pixel, 65,536 color OLED displays on the top of the individual motionless keys.
  • The Sony PX-LX300USB turntable sports a USB cable. Plug it into your PC, and you can digitize those albums and convert them into MP3s you can listen to on your iPod.
  • The Casio EX-F1 digital camera takes 60 frames in a second. You can quickly scroll through those 60 frames, pick the perfect one and capture it for saving to the camera's storage.
  • The robotic, nearly silent Automower is built from 90% recyclable material, runs on electricity from the sun and puts out zero emissions. (If the sun ain't shinin' you can plug it in to charge it.)
  • The Gamers Cockpit GTS simulator is a racing chair, steering wheel console, sound system and display all in one.
  • The GTS at the 2008 auto show
  • The 30-inch Dell 3008WFP's 2560 x 1600 resolution and 3000:1 contrast ratio means digital photographs will come alive and HDTV will look ultra realistic.
  • The Robonova-1 is a robot kit that requires construction and programming. Once built and programmed, it can defeat the neighbor's dog in a battle for dominance over the yard.
  • The Garmin Edge 605 GPS device for bicyclists won't let you be cheated by red lights -- an Auto Pause feature stops the timer when you have to slow down or stop, so it won't count against your time.
  • The MacBook Air is so slim it fits in a manila envelope. With no FireWire port, Ethernet port, or optical disc drive, the Air may initially seem a crippled computing choice. But when you're in a plane, train, or automobile, you'll hardly miss what you'd never use anyway.
  • Celebrate the victory of Blu-ray DVD and be ready to play this years big blockbuster game releases on the Sony PlayStation3.
Computerworld Buyer's Guide - Vendors Matched to this Article
Kensington , Adaptec
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